To chrome or not to chrome?????

The process of chroming parts causes hydrogen embrittlement...I believe most would accept that as a fact.. I'm working (slowly) on a fixture for a new front straight axle for the '57 I picked up awhile back. I plan on building the axle with some chrome moly tubing, same method we used for our sprint car axles years back.

My question is this, just how serious a problem can hydrogen embrittlement be on an axle fabbed out of moly tubing that goes to the chrome shop? I want the car to be era correct, and all my favorites from the 60's ran a chrome front axle on their gassers but at the same time my partner on this project is planning some serious horsepressure for the car and I guess launching the front end a time or two won't be out of the question.... Should on be conservative on the side of safety and get the axle powder coated to resemble chrome, or send it to the chrome shop and stay on the "fashion" side???

paint it black spend money on a bbc

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Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

paint it black spend money on a bbc

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;);););););););)

Get it powder coated almost chrome. Staying in one piece is cooler than chrome.

Dave S - The 'right' shop wont have a problem - but a chrome axle make about as much sense on that Chebbie as it does under my '31 (oh crap - I DO HAVE CHROME!!!)

I agree with Pat - if ya gotta have a Chebbie, save the extra bucks - it might as well be a BBC and you'll need the spare cash(but there is room for a Ford V10:eek::3dSMILE:)

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Originally Posted by IC2

Dave S - The 'right' shop wont have a problem - but a chrome axle make about as much sense on that Chebbie as it does under my '31 (oh crap - I DO HAVE CHROME!!!)

I agree with Pat - if ya gotta have a Chebbie, save the extra bucks - it might as well be a BBC and you'll need the spare cash(but there is room for a Ford V10:eek::3dSMILE:)

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Yeah, I'm a Ford guy through and through....but I gotta make an exception for this one, kind of like owning a piece of history or something corny like that I guess.......

You can bake the hydrogen out of the part following plating. I forget the specs right now, but it's something like 400 degrees for several hours, depending on the steel. This should be done within just a few hours of plating the part. Any good plating shop will have the details.
http://vacaero.com/News-Info-From-In...ittlement.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_embrittlement
http://mechanicalplating.com/hydrogen.htm

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Originally Posted by techinspector1

You can bake the hydrogen out of the part following plating. I forget the specs right now, but it's something like 400 degrees for several hours, depending on the steel. This should be done within just a few hours of plating the part. Any good plating shop will have the details.
http://vacaero.com/News-Info-From-In...ittlement.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_embrittlement
http://mechanicalplating.com/hydrogen.htm

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Thanks Richard, some great information there!!! Bookmarked them all for reference! Had no idea a bake oven could overcome the embrittlement problem! Must have studied it in school, but I guess I forgot a lot of that stuff that I don't use frequently. Think maybe some of my contacts at SDSU would have some input on it.... Maybe it can be safe and shiny????

I would bet that the majority of cars running around with chrome suspension and steering components have not seen the extra baking step. I have never had a chrome shop offer to do that for me, and I bet the off the shelf chromed axles, etc that are sold by speed shops are not baked either.

My point is, how many failures have you ever seen? I think this is one of those things that "could" happen, but in reality rarely does. I say chrome it. :)

Don

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Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

I would bet that the majority of cars running around with chrome suspension and steering components have not seen the extra baking step. I have never had a chrome shop offer to do that for me, and I bet the off the shelf chromed axles, etc that are sold by speed shops are not baked either.

My point is, how many failures have you ever seen? I think this is one of those things that "could" happen, but in reality rarely does. I say chrome it. :)

Don

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Friend of mine many years back had a CAE axle break right between the spring perch mount and the spindle.... He came out ok, but the car was junk. Only one I've ever actually SEEN break---but one's enough!!! Going to get with one of my old Profs. at SDSU, he's been instructing mechanical engineering for decades, plus drives a wicked blown Deuce roadster!!!! Maybe the chroming and baking could become someone's project???;) He could get a good grade, and I could go fast and be safe and shiny!!!!:LOL::LOL:

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Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

My point is, how many failures have you ever seen? I think this is one of those things that "could" happen, but in reality rarely does.

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The father of the young lady I dated in High School had a USAC sprint. He recruited a Super Modified driver who was a real hot shoe and a nice guy to boot. The car was down for an overhaul, so the driver, Stan Bowman, hooked a ride with another car owner for the race a Terre Haute, Indiana, a dirt track. The front axle was chrome. Coming down the front straight, the axle broke, flipping the car down the straight. In those days, if any of you remember, there was very little roll bar on the cars. Stan was mortally injured when they got to him in the first turn. So yes, this does happen and there are those of us who remember it.

Last year, I happened upon a fellow on the HAMB who not only knew Stan as a driver, but knew where he is buried!!
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...r&GRid=6141158

send it out and get the hi luster alum .jet coat or some one that coats hi heat coatings some of it get close

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Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

send it out and get the hi luster alum .jet coat or some one that coats hi heat coatings some of it get close

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that would probably be the quickest and easiest plan!!!! Could get it done by the same guys down in Iowa that do headers and exhaust, huh? They really come out nice!

From what I understand Nascar does not allow chrome plated parts (including wheels) because the metal under the chrome could crack and you will not see it. The Toyota's with the chrome looking wheels are actually painted and if they have a crack it will crack the paint.

I chrome plated a brake rod for one of my motorcycles one time. Snapped on me at the bend in a emergency braking situation. Did not fair too well on that one. I will never have anything like that chromed again.

Just a thought.

If you're looking at coatings check out JetHot's Sterling Ceramic.

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Originally Posted by rspears

If you're looking at coatings check out JetHot's Sterling Ceramic.

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Is that the new one with the super smooth finish that almost looks like chrome???? The guys I use in Iowa did me a set of headers with a black coating that almost looks like "black chrome". Very neat stuff!

Well Dave I agree with Don's thought pattern on the chrome axles but then to read what Richard said and taking into account that you are going for really high horsepower and there is a very high chance of wheels up launches I would differently look into the High Performance Coating,eg that special coating some are doing on their exhaust etc. My inlet manifold was coated HPC chrome /high polished aluminium and looks fantastic,if I must say so myself.:)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...nspring004.jpg
, this 34 spring was chromed , the car has not even been driven yet , its only movement was up and down on a hoist a few times , customer replaced with a painted spring, you can just see another hairline crack appearing above the broken leaf on the 3rd leaf

I would recommend Moore High Performance Coatings in Waverly, Nebraska. Good people to deal with. I have seen their stuff and it looks really nice. Much better than JetHot, I might add.

I've always had chrome axles but my plater always bakes to remove the hydrogen embrittlement, but i know of many that havn't bothered and i've not seen one break yet, just my pennys worth.

Dave with the use and abuse, I vote for safety. The ceramic coatings they are doing for headers look like polished aluminum. If the ceramic coating doesn't affect structural integrity I'd go that route. After watching all the thread posts on accidents here, I'm leary of driving anything I've worked on!:LOL:

My vote goes against chrome, too; one "oops" would be one too many.

Some of these powder coat jobs today are almost indistinguishable from chrome, and there is some variety to be had, if you're of a mind.

Heck! Just build it out of high quality stainless and polish it. Probably wouldn't cost much different after all is said and done.

I am just curious, about How many axels and chrome suspension parts are out there? What do you think the percentage is? I have been parnoid about this Hydrogen embrittlement issue since I have gotten every thing chrome in the front end. Everything has been forged for execpt the axle. Which was a 5" cast which I am not going to use an am buying a socal chrome forged unit. I am just curious how many people on this board or friend are running chrome axles?

NoNoNo, if you plan to race it you can't chrome nor powdercoat! Bad juju. I wouldn't worry about hydrogen embrittlement, be fine to drive on the street. But at the track the tech guy wants to see suspension pieces, he wants to see if there are cracks and chrome/powdercoat (esp) will hide any problems.

There's a outfit in Florida called Spectrachrome. A process that sprays on chrome like regular paint. I do not know much about it, but looks interesting.

http://www.finishing.com/Chemicals/spectrachrome.shtml

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Originally Posted by barnsey

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...nspring004.jpg
, this 34 spring was chromed , the car has not even been driven yet , its only movement was up and down on a hoist a few times , customer replaced with a painted spring, you can just see another hairline crack appearing above the broken leaf on the 3rd leaf

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What brand was this spring and did he have it chromed or bought from them?
Looks like a superslide

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Originally Posted by akrateffil

There's a outfit in Florida called Spectrachrome. A process that sprays on chrome like regular paint. I do not know much about it, but looks interesting.

http://www.finishing.com/Chemicals/spectrachrome.shtml

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Cool stuff.

I would call them and find out how durable it is. It may be good for valve covers, but suspension stuff takes a beating.

IMO and experience...jethot looks great when you get it....then it goes milky....powder coating is an option....personally, i'd get a heavy wall moly tube just a smooch bigger than what you think you need...chrome it and run it with a smile....i like big power too, i'd also use aluminum blocks and heads to reduce the weight strain on the front for when you do carry that front for 300'